Kris Smith: Not acceptable

Our public school tests are shameful. Mr. Curtis’ report to the Board of Education didn’t just highlight the pitiful scores and performance of our students, it spotlighted our shame.

It spotlighted not just our acceptance of mediocrity, but it spotlighted our acceptance of failure.

When our fourth-graders leapt to achieve the Colorado Student Assessment Program average of 72 percent, it is time for us to leap into action to change. I never have thought the educational system in Moffat County would perform so poorly. I have bragged about the education I received. Now, I will hang my head in shame for our schools. The school board should lay before the community its specific goals and actions it intends to take to solve this problem. Then if the board members can’t deliver, boot them out of office and get citizens in who can tell the community what they intend to do. Tell us specifically your goals and the actions you are going to take to solve the problem. Is it textbooks? Is it truancy? Is it teachers? Is it parents? Is it more days in school? Is it money? Is it a better administration? Don’t give us a vague article on the front page that tells us that we are a community that is failing. Tell us how. Until we know how, nothing can be done to fix the problems. Specific data is needed so that specific plans can be made. Once the community is told the specific problems and specific actions that are to be taken, then the community can begin the process of discussing and debating and planning to insure that this doesn’t continue.

Comments

When I was in school and my test scores went down, my parents took away my opportunities to play during or after school. Recess and after school activities were restricted completely until I got better grades on my tests.

Perhaps this is what the school district needs to do. Stop all sporting activities until the test scores come up to an acceptable level.

It always seemed to me that this comunity placed a much higher priority on playing sports than it did gaining and education. There ARE more important things in life than playing a game.